donderdag 9 juni 2016

Baby badgers caught on camera

It’s that time of year again when our woodland creatures’ offspring start exploring the forests on their own.

There are motion-detecting cameras set up all over our Villages, in addition to the keen eyes of our Rangers and guests, so we get to see some cracking shots, including otters and great crested grebes. But these might be our favourite photos to date

But these might be our favourite photos to date. They show that, as of this spring, Whinfell Forest is now home to three baby badgers. Whinfell Forest Ranger Emma Tapp says: “Mum is taking great care of her little clan of badger cubs and they just keep growing and growing.”

Badgers are nocturnal so it’s very rare to capture a colour shot of them out and about in the daylight. Though the nighttime photo on the left is also pretty great – especially the one climbing up that log to snuffle around for insects!

All about Badgers

Badgers are nocturnal, which means they sleep during the day and are awake at night

Badgers live in groups of up to 14 adults and dig underground tunnels and nesting chambers called “setts”, where they sleep and rear their young

Badgers are strong and heavy for their size and have sharp clawed feet, making them the fastest-digging animal on Earth

Badgers have excellent hearing and a strong sense of smell, which helps them find food, but their eyes are small and their eyesight is not very good.